Same-sex couple fly overseas to marry as part of dying wish

A GAY Tasmanian couple travelled to New Zealand on the kindness of strangers to get married and fulfil a dying wish.

Devonport couple Sandra Yates and her terminally ill partner, Lee Bransden, were married in Roturua after their friends raised more than $11,000 on a crowd funding website to make it possible.

Ms Bransden has been given just weeks to live due to a lung disease.

Barred from getting married in Australia, the couple's friends and supporters called for support on crowd funding website GoFundMe and in just two days raised enough money for the couple to get married in New Zealand and enjoy a short honeymoon.

The pair could not afford the ceremony after a failed business deal and the need to set aside money for Ms Bransden's funeral.

Ms Yates, now Mrs Bransden, told the ABC they were disappointed they could not have been married in Australia.

"This has been so beautiful, I'm so pleased that we've been here and done this, I don't think anything could be more special," she said.

"The only thing, if Australia would allow same-sex marriage that would have been more special to be recognised in Australia."